DEM: R.I. currently free of mosquito-borne ailments

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- No further traces of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus have turned up in recent mosquito traps, the state Department of Environmental Management said Thursday.

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By
Thomas J. Morgan
Posted Sep. 26, 2013 @ 11:24 am

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- No further traces of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus have turned up in recent mosquito traps, the state Department of Environmental Management said Thursday.

DEM and the state Department Health announced last week that both diseases were confirmed in samples of mosquitoes collected on Sept. 9. Test results from one mosquito pool, or sample, from a trap set in Exeter were confirmed positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), and three mosquito pools from traps set in Providence, East Providence and North Kingstown were confirmed positive for West Nile Virus (WNV).

This year, to date in Rhode Island, seven pools of mosquitoes have tested positive for WNV and four pools of mosquitoes have tested positive for EEE.

Scott Marshall, state veterinarian, said a horse from Wyoming had to be euthanized Friday when it tested positive for EEE, He said records indicated the horse had not been fully immunized.